COMEBACK FALLS SHORT AS COUGARS LOSE TO RAMS IN MEN'S HOOPS

2-27-09
box score

CALDWELL, N.J. - The Caldwell College men's basketball team came all the way back from a 17-point second-half deficit, only to lose to Philadelphia University, 63-57 in the regular-season finale Friday evening in the George R. Newman Center. The loss leaves the Cougars (12-15 overall, 8-8 CACC) in a tie with Felician College for third place in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference North Division standings. Since the tie-breaker is in favor of Felician, Caldwell will be the fourth seed in the CACC Tournament and will play Bloomfield College in the first round. The Rams, who had already clinched first in the CACC South, improve to 22-5, 14-2 CACC.

The Rams led by as many as 16 in the first half and took a 47-32 lead at  halftime after shooting 57.7 percent from the field. Philadelphia continued to control the game and took its largest lead of the game, 49-32 with 13:30 left. That's when Caldwell mounted its comeback, reeling off a 15-1 spree punctuated by a three-pointer from senior guard Carl Augustin (Stony Point, NY/Don Bosco Prep) that made the score 50-47 with 9:12 on the clock. The Rams maintained the lead and held a 56-51 advantage with 5:26 remaining. A pair of offensive rebounds by junior forward Matt Cohen (Forked River, NJ/Manasquan) allowed Augustin to get a second-chance basket to cut the deficit to three. Senior forward Manny Perez (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) hit two free throws with 1:41 to play. He then gave the Cougars their first lead since early in the first half with a jumper following a steal by Augustin, putting Caldwell on top, 57-56 with 43 seconds remaining.

Philadelphia responded with a three-pointer from Mike Dunn on the next possession that gave the Rams a 59-57 lead with 29 seconds left. A Caldwell turnover resulted in a lay-up for Ishmawiyl McFadden, and the Rams hit two free throws down the stretch to ice the game. Caldwell held Philadelphia to 34.8 percent shooting in the second half, but Dunn's fourth three-pointer of the night proved to be the difference in the end.

Augustin led the Cougars with 18 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals. Perez had a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards. The Rams were paced by Mike Yocum's 16 points, 13 boards and three blocks, while Dunn finished with 15 points in the win.

The loss marked the final home game for Caldwell seniors Augustin, Perez and center Michael Luzzi (Ledgewood, NJ/Morris Catholic), who was unable to play due to injury.

The Cougars play top-seeded Bloomfield College on Tuesday, Mar. 3, in the first round of the CACC Tournament. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in the Bloomfield Gymnasium.

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